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Kennedy joins Padres, set for Sunday start

Kennedy joins Padres, set for Sunday start

SAN DIEGO -- Sitting on the floor next to the locker of newly acquired Padres starter Ian Kennedy was his travel bag to carry all his stuff, with a D-backs logo on it.

Someone will have to get him a new one.

Kennedy arrived at Petco Park for the first time as member of the Padres on Friday. He was traded from the D-backs hours before Wednesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline.

He will make his first start for the Padres on Sunday, and he admitted it was a little strange to look down and see a blue uniform.

"You work so hard with the team you're with and then you get traded," Kennedy said. "But I'm excited because I got to come to a team that I'm familiar with, a division that I'm familiar with -- kind of a little mixed emotions."

Even more strange for him is that his first Padres start will come against the Yankees, another one of his former teams. Prior to Friday's game, Kennedy chatted with some of his former teammates from the Minors while he was in the Yankees' organization.

"It's kind of ironic," Kennedy said. "Kind of come a little full circle."

Kennedy said he's had a chance for a few conversations with some of the Padres' players -- including Chase Headley, Yonder Alonso and some of the other pitchers during workouts -- but hasn't gotten around to meeting everyone yet.

"To get a pitcher like that, a strike-thrower that has that presence, that gives the ballclub a good feeling," said Padres manager Bud Black.

It's also the second time Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and assistant general manager A.J. Hinch have traded for Kennedy. They were with Arizona when they acquired him from the Yankees in a three-team deal in December 2009, and Hinch was the D-backs' manager for parts of '09 and '10.

"[Byrnes] mentioned that I'm the first guy he's traded for twice," Kennedy said with a laugh. "Somebody likes me."

Jamal Collier is an associate reporter for MLB.com. Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. Keep track of @FollowThePadres on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.